An apparatus and method are provided for sorting laundry. The method includes laundering a plurality of items each having a separable tag portion of a laundry ticket bearing bar coded identification data associating an item of laundry with a laundry ticket, arranging tickets for the plurality of items into a randomly ordered stack, and scanning bar coded identification data from the randomly ordered stack of tickets for the laundered items into a control computer. The method includes scanning identification data for each laundered item into the computer, placing the scanned items onto a rotating pickup assembly, and bringing collector arms, one at a time, toward the rotating pickup assembly. The method also includes removing the items, one at a time, from the rotating pickup assembly to the collector arms according to the identification data so that items may be assembled with the associated ticket without altering the rotational speed of the rotating pickup assembly.

Apparatus and method for performing multiple level sortation operations upon a number of randomly ordered garments. The garments are identified by unique identification data, which can be scanned and entered into a computer. The computer remembers the order in which garment identification data has been. The garments are then transferred in their entered order to a first sortation assembly in which a rotating wheel assembly accepts and selectively releases garments during indexed rotation of the wheel at one of a number of stop points. Each stop point has associated with it a receiving rail, where each rail represents a different group within a first sortation level. The computer recognizes which receiving rail is the correct rail for each garment according to the first sortation criteria and signals the release of the garment at the correct stop point. The garments collected on each receiving rail comprise a group of first sorted garments according to the first sortation criteria. The groups are transferred in a desired order to a second sortation assembly, which performs the same sortation operation as the first sortation assembly according to the second sortation criteria. The groups of second sorted garments are transferred to a third sortation assembly, which has a rotating wheel assembly. The third sortation assembly also has associated with it a number of sets of collecting arms, where individual arms from each set of arms represents a sortation group and can accept a garment from the wheel assembly at a predetermined stop point in accordance with the third sortation criteria. The arms transfer garments to a collecting rail, which are then removed.

A suspension rail comprises a rail body (18) having a slide track (22,24) extending lengthwise of the rail, the slide track (22,24) being adapted to slidably support hangers thereon. The general novelty is that the slide track comprises two parallel tracks (22,24) of low friction plastics held in or by the rail body (18) and spaced by the rail body (18), so that a hanger (38) suspended on the rail contacts the rail only at the two tracks (22,24). Particular features are that the body (18) is a one piece extrusion of aluminium, and there are two rods (22,24) which form the tracks, these rods (22,24) being in grooves (18A,18B) in the body (18). The rods are firmly fixed by crimping part of the body (18) after the rods have been inserted in the grooves (18A,18B). Rods (22,24) of right angled triangular cross section are preferred as they can be inserted and clamped easier and held more securely than circular rods, and made to project further from the body than circular rods. The invention also provides an advantageous means (110) of providing jumpers for accommodating rod expansion joints and rail system switches.

A sorting conveyor system is disclosed having a computer controlled first sort conveyor stage and a final sort conveyor stage. Articles to be sorted are identified and loaded onto a first sort conveyor which sorts the articles into groups and routes each group to one or more holding rails coupled via a transfer rail to one or more final sort conveyors. As a complete group of articles is assembled on one or more holding rails, the group of articles is transferred to a final sort conveyor. Identification information for each article transferred to the final sort conveyor is also transferred to the final sort conveyor. The final sort conveyor then performs a final sort on each group of articles transferred thereto.

A high-speed loader loads garments onto a conveyor using two metering devices, each controlled by a computer. The second metering device is located closer to the conveyor than the first, holds only one hanger at a time and can easily be cleared to allow garments on the conveyor to pass unimpeded. The metering devices allow the computer to triple-buffer the hangers by dividing the loader into three distinct sections. The first buffer is located before the first metering device and can hold several garments physically far enough away from the conveyor to allow garments to pass. Hangers are released by the first metering device one at a time to a second buffer, which is between the first and second metering device. The second metering device is a simple air stop positioned close to the conveyor. The location of the second metering device minimizes the length and uncertainty of the transit time of the hanger from the loader to the conveyor. The third section of the loader is a load ramp that conveys the hanger from the second metering device directly to the conveyor, which third buffer also holds only one garment. The hanger on the load ramp is removed by the motion of the conveyor, at which time the second metering device will release the hanger in the secondary buffer to the load ramp. At this time, the first metering device releases a single hanger to the second metering device.